Gautam Gambhir celebrated his first title as head coach of the Indian cricket team after they defeated New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy final. Taking over from Rahul Dravid post the T20 World Cup 2024, Gambhir faced criticism, especially regarding red-ball performances, but silenced detractors with this win, marking India’s second Champions Trophy title. Celebrations at Dubai International Stadium included a poetic exchange between Gambhir and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu. Gambhir, who initially hesitated to dance Bhangra on Sidhu’s request, later posed. Captain Rohit Sharma praised Gambhir for fostering an attacking mindset that contributed to the team’s success.
Gautam Gambhir earned his inaugural title as the head coach of the Indian team when they triumphed over New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy final. Stepping into the shoes of Rahul Dravid after India’s T20 World Cup 2024 victory, Gambhir faced considerable criticism for various outcomes, particularly in red-ball cricket. However, he silenced his detractors by leading India to their second Champions Trophy title in history. Amid the joyful celebrations at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, a memorable interaction transpired between Gambhir and former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu.
Sidhu, famous for his eloquent prose and poetry, especially during commentary, saw Gambhir showcase his own poetic skills right in front of him. The result was truly mesmerizing.
“Fann kuchalne ka hunar seekhiye janab…”, Gambhir began, prompting Sidhu to finish, “saapon ke darr se jungle nahi chhore jaate.”
“The Shayari that he asked me to narrate has a lot to say… he @GautamGambhir is here to stay… wish him and the Indian cricket team the very best…. You made India proud brother,” Sidhu wrote in his post.
The Shayari that he asked me to narrate has a lot to say… he @GautamGambhir is here to stay… wish him and the Indian cricket team the very best…. You made India 🇮🇳 proud brother pic.twitter.com/TRnJKWh6Ii
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) March 9, 2025
Sidhu later challenged Gambhir to perform Bhangra, but the Indian head coach hesitated. Although Gambhir posed for a Bhangra photo op later, he refrained from dancing despite Sidhu’s repeated encouragement.
Following the match, India captain Rohit Sharma praised Gambhir, expressing gratitude for his approach to the game and the mentality he instilled in the team.
“It (attacking game) is not natural to me but it is something I really wanted to do. When you are attempting something new, you need the team’s support, and the management’s backing—both were with me throughout. In the ODI World Cup as well, I communicated this with Rahul bhai, and he was very supportive, just like Gauti bhai now. It’s all about having the backing of the team and management. I aimed to play differently after all these years and see if we could achieve the results we were aiming for,” Rohit remarked post-match.
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